High Performance. Relentless Execution. No Ceilings.
I’m not here to be liked. I’m here to deliver results—and help leaders build lives and businesses that actually perform.
For more than 25 years I’ve worked in retained executive search at the highest levels, now as a Managing Director at ZRG Partners. My lane is simple: I help CEOs, boards, and investors find the leaders who move the needle—operators who can scale, de-risk, and execute in the real world. I’m measured by outcomes, not activity.
But my work didn’t start in a boardroom. It started on the edge.
I grew up in the mountains and on the race course--semi-pro cycling, decades of ski racing and coaching, and wins at the Death Race and Tuckerman Inferno. Those experiences taught me what really separates top performers from everyone else: clarity, discipline, consistency, and the willingness to suffer for a goal. Business is the same game. Different arena, identical rules.
The Shift
For years I ran Executive Athletes as a community for people who wanted more out of business, health, and life. It was powerful—but scattered. I’ve since shut it down and brought everything under kenlubin.com. The mission hasn’t changed. The container has. This is the home for my full body of work: search and advisory, performance systems for leaders, and a straight-talk perspective on winning without burning out.
The Truth (No Filter)
I’ve pushed too hard. Overtrained. Overworked. Carried more than I should. I’ve had seasons of burnout and rebuilds where I had to step back, sharpen the tools, and decide what actually matters. That’s why my philosophy isn’t “do more.” It’s do what matters—relentlessly. Cut the noise. Keep score. Build a life and a company that hold up in the wind.
What I Believe
1) Clarity beats complexity. Say yes to fewer things and go deep.
2) Discipline > motivation. Systems win when emotions fade.
3) Health is a performance multiplier. Strong body, sharp mind, better decisions.
4) Scoreboards matter. Pipeline, cash flow, talent density, recovery—track it all.
5) Quiet power. Real confidence is built in the work, not the feed.
6) No ceilings. There’s always another gear if you’re willing to pay the price.
What I Do (Now, All Under KenLubin.com)
- Retained Search & Strategic Advisory
Partnering with founders, CEOs, and investors to land elite leadership talent and design the org to win. - Compensation & Market Intelligence
Real numbers, real ranges, real tradeoffs—so you can compete for top talent with eyes wide open. - Leadership Performance Systems
Simple, durable operating rhythms for executives who want to lead with clarity, protect their energy, and produce reliable outcomes. - Speaking & Writing
No-fluff talks, playbooks, and essays on leadership under pressure, talent strategy, and high-performance living.
Who I’m For
Leaders who are still in the arena: CEOs, founders, PE-backed operators, captives and independents in finance, and outliers who would rather be effective than impressive. If you want sugar-coating, there are easier voices to follow. If you want to win without losing yourself, we’ll get along.
How I Work
- Precision over volume. A few critical moves, executed well.
- Radical candor. We’ll talk about what others dodge—timelines, tradeoffs, and the real constraints.
- Data + feel. Numbers set the guardrails; judgment makes the call.
- Sustainable intensity. Push hard, recover hard, keep going.
Off the Mountain
I’m still a racer at heart—on the bike, on skis, on the water. I like early mornings, clean inputs, and long horizons. The work I do with clients mirrors how I live: deliberate, disciplined, and built for the long game.